Lets everyone stay positive folks--we all have so much to be grateful for and please G-d to look forward to!
Positive is greater than negative (as the shirt says). LOL
Shana Tova!
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Showing posts with label G-d. Show all posts
Showing posts with label G-d. Show all posts
September 29, 2019
Positively Jewish New Years
Lets everyone stay positive folks--we all have so much to be grateful for and please G-d to look forward to!
Positive is greater than negative (as the shirt says). LOL
Shana Tova!
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
September 25, 2019
The Magical Letters Of Tishrei
It is ingenious how the letters of the Aleph and Bet and Tishrei (the dates when Rosh Hashanah occurs) is exactly equivalent to the letters in the Hebrew word for Genesis (Bereshit), which is the event of creation that we celebrate on the Jewish New Year.
Truly, this magical genius evident in the Torah can only be from one source and that is the one Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, Himself!
Let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a truly magical Rosh Hashanah and one that is filled G-d’s mercy and blessings for a happy, healthy, prosperous, and peaceful New Year!
(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
September 24, 2019
Magnificent Room Divider
The brilliant colors and the vibrant circular swirls make this outstanding to take in.
So simple in a way, yet it brings so much magnificence to any space.
Staring into this has an almost heavenly effect of traveling through that final tunnel before reaching the heavenly essence of light at the end of it all. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
September 6, 2019
What If Israel Lost?
What if, G-d forbid, Israel was attacked by its Arab neighbors and lost? It’s an almost unthinkable thought, yet it is actually a complete miracle that Israel, surrounded and vastly outnumbered by its enemies, actually wins and survives in a very tough neighborhood.
Despite these miracles that we have been blessed to witness, we can’t let down our guard militarily or spiritually. We must do good deeds, act with kindness and charity to our fellow man, and worship Hashem to continue to merit the success over our enemies and our settlement of the land of Israel.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
September 4, 2019
G-d Is Good
When you are lying back in the chair, look what you see on the ceiling:
G-d Is Good.
The other day we went out to eat with some folks.
And the question came up whether you think most people are good or bad.
Interestingly, most of the people at the table thought either they are predominantly good or at least that they have the potential for good.
Really, it is G-d that is the ultimate good.
And to the extent that we are created in His image and have the opportunity to choose good from evil, then we too can be good.
G-d is inherently good, but man is a toss up based on which direction he goes. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
August 13, 2019
Born With The Music
Alma Deutscher is a British-born (of Israeli-descent) musical whiz kid who was playing piano and violin at age 3.
And she composed a whole opera by the time she was 10.
They call her the Second Mozart, although she prefers to just be the First Alma!
She literally hears music playing in her head all the time, and she says that there are different expert musical composers in her head that she calls on to solve whatever musical challenge she is facing or sound out the emotion she is trying to get to.
In her interview, she did not seem like a 12-year old, but rather an old soul who has come back perhaps many, many times.
Listening and watching Alma is sort of like watching a walking miracle--as there is no way she learned these skills at such a young age and has "comprehensive mastery" over all the music and instruments.
If there was ever a question about where knowledge, skills, and abilities come from, with a child prodigy like Alma, there should be no lingering doubts about G-d's complete role in everything.
With Alma, G-d graciously let's us in to the mysteries of creation by showing us the source of all is Him.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
July 22, 2019
I will Survive
G-d gives us strength.
To battle ignorance, apathy, and evil.
To educate, persuade, influence, and fight for what's right.
With a thick skin of battle armor.
And sword and arrows of insight, cunning, and righteousness.
To stand firm even when you feel weakened.
To find the words even when you are mocked.
To see clearly and hear distinctly even when confounded.
The soul and spirit of G-d guides you.
As you traverse a journey through life's winding tests and challenges.
Fight heroically to repair that which is broken.
Say resolutely, I will survive! ;-)
July 16, 2019
We're Part of a Much Larger Script
Why do bad things happen to good people?
G-d answers by showing Job the incredible elements of creation and the universe.
Why?
1) Complexity and Interrelationship of the Universe:
As isolated individuals, we might expect to be judged solely by our individual deeds of good and bad (2-dimensional), but also we are cogs in the larger universe (the 3rd dimension).
Therefore, what happens to us is not just a result of what we do, but also is a part of G-d's larger overall plan for the world.
Even small acts can have large impacts.
For example, you sneeze and somewhere down the line it causes a tsunami.
Similarly, like actors in a cosmic play of a billion pages, we may not see or understand why our individual role may be what it is, but if you would see and understand the context of the overall drama (what came before us, after us, and how it all interrelates) then from a G-d's eye view, it makes sense.
Every act of destruction can lead to a higher divine purpose.
Like the grass that is mowed over and uprooted to plants crops or the wheat that is harvested and ground up to make bread.
So, we can have faith that there is a reason and purpose for everything even if it is a mystery or unanswered question to us.
And even in our suffering, G-d, the master of the Universe, is saying that "I'm here with you thru it all." You are not alone!
2) By challenging us, G-d gives us the "tough gift" to cope, grow, and become better people.
Even though things that happen may look bad to you, they can lead to good for you.
You don't always get what you want, but you get what you need.
You have choice: you can be bitter, resentful, cynical, and angry or can look at life with hope, optimism and resilience.
Thus, suffering can be a vehicle of self-transformation and elevation. The challenges you face can help you become a different person--a greater person.
You can learn to feel not just your own pain and disappointment, but that of others.
You have the opportunity to grow yourself and the opportunity to help others.
(Thank you to Rebecca Ochayon for sending me this awesome video!)
July 15, 2019
OMG, What A Beautiful Song
By Yaakov Shwekey & Kobi Peretz
Even though I am walking through the valley of the shadow of death
I fear no evil
Because you are with me
Even behind the difficult things you are going through
I stand...I stand...I stand
Even in the place which is hidden, within that which is hidden
Surely, the blessed Hashem is found there too
My heart and soul are uplifted by this beautiful song. ;-)
July 3, 2019
Beautiful Tutim
June 25, 2019
Life = Growth
It says behind the cash registers:
People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. - Eleanor Roosevelt
The background has this serene river flow--along with some obvious whitewater.
But in front of it, the cash register area is hopping crazy and messy.
It's a contradiction--not unlike life itself which is full of it's own ups and downs that challenge us routinely.
Life is where we get the experience that shapes us and strengthens us, as long as it does not break us.
Life = Growth
Why else would we be here?
G-d is the best teacher. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 16, 2019
Never Alone Or Meaningless
Instead of feeling alone, aimless, and sad, we can delight in our oneness with G-d and the cosmos and in knowing the everything we do can have a positive impact on everything else. ;-)
- We are never alone, because G-d is always right there with us, and in us!
- And what we do is never meaningless, because everything we do affects the G-dliness of everything else--everything and everyone are wholly intertwined and connected.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 8, 2019
G-d Counts On Us
Israel with just over 6.5 million Jews could not simply defeat the surrounding Arabs numbering over 400 million by sheer military might alone–the pure numbers just don’t bear that out–and that’s why any sane person knows that the miraculous hand of G-d is at work here, and that we are living in the times of Mashiach.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 5, 2019
Swimming In Florida
Hit the swimming pool.
About to do my laps.
I got my gear and ready to rock and roll.
Please G-d, we'll spend the Jewish holiday of Shavuot (commemorating when we got the Torah) together here as a family.
What more can I ask.
Happy and grateful. ;-)
(Source Photo: Dossy Blumenthal)
June 3, 2019
Finding Our Innerspace
Innerspace
There is outer space.
And there is innerspace.
Outer space is the universe, the cosmos, the galaxies, the solar systems, the stars, and the planets--it's the big picture of what is all around us.
Innerspace is the our soul, conscience, thoughts, feelings, who we are, and what we're all about--it's the infinity of what makes us up and what's inside each of us.
The perspective is infinitely big as we look upward and outward to the heavens, and infinitely small as we zoom inside ourselves to the subatomic levels.
The innerspace makes me think of mindfulness, meditation, and finding purpose, meaning, truth, and inner peace.
Our search for self is really the intersection of outer- and innerspace.
We are but a speck of dust and yet we have the power to do such immense good.
It's a contradiction that is so powerful--for who are we that G-d is mindful of us and cares for us and gives us the power to choose good from evil.
Yet that is exactly our world and our place in it--and this is where we find innerspace in all of outer space. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 1, 2019
Harassholes Y'all
It says:
Stop Harassholes Y'all
Not bad.
Harassment plus as*holes = Harassholes.
Thank G-d, there are some very good people and managers out there.
But unfortunately not everyone is, and so there are also some real stinkin' abusers too.
These types of people should never be in power, since they misuse it!
They do not use the power they have been entrusted with to advance progress, and do good for the organization and its people, but rather they clumsily wield power for their own selfish, personal pleasures and vendettas--bullying and harassing others--and simply because they can.
Belittling others, making them feel stupid and worthless, and then going after them for whatever they want.
Through intimidation, they keep others from talking...shhh! hush!
Emotional, verbal, and even physical abuse can be common.
I remember one colleague telling me how their boss would literally throw things at them in their office while they had to sit there "taking it."
Another has a boss that makes them do the stupidest, most trivial tasks--completely worthless stuff--just to prove a point...that they're in charge.
Marginalization, threats, bullying, abuse, harassment...it goes on and it shouldn't!
In some cases, the harassholes are even protected from someone above.
Money, power, honor...more, more, more!
But G-d sees these people too and eventually cuts the bad ones down to size.
My father used to say:
G-d does not let any tree grow into the heavens!
Eventually, I am pretty sure that harassholes end up getting some very BIG hemorrhoids or something from above that teaches them to use G-d's gifts for the good, and to properly love, care, and empathize for other human beings--G-d's children!
I never knew why hemorrhoids existed in this world, but there is a purpose to everything under the heavens. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
May 24, 2019
The Cave Tree
I just think this is such an amazing tree (at work).
It's like a cave.
You go in through the overhanging branches.
And there is a whole seating area with tables, chairs, benches underneath the shade of this lovely tree.
It's like the tree was created for giving shade to people.
What miraculous creations G-d has made for us.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
May 22, 2019
Take Responsibility
Responsibility: At the end of the day, you are solely responsible for your success and your failure. And the sooner you realize that, you accept that, and integrate that into your work ethic, you will start to be successful. As long as you blame others for the reason you aren't where you want to be, you will always be a failure. - Erin Cummins
While I agree that we have to take responsibility for our lives and do the work hard to achieve success, at the same time, we obviously aren't in control of everything.
We have to play the hand we're dealt in life and make the very best of it. Whatever challenges that we have, they are there for us to learn from, grow from, and become better human beings from.
Also, success means different things to different people--for some it's money, power and honer; for others it's physical fitness and dashing good looks; still some care more about travel, experiences, partying, and having a good time; and yet for others it's about G-d, family, country, and good deeds.
Whatever we want to achieve requires dedication and hard work from our end, but also a generous dose of prayer and good fortune for "the stars to align." ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
May 17, 2019
A Good Father
In my dream, I was looking at this ledger.
And at the top of the ledger, it said:
"A Good Father"
I understand that good didn't mean like good vs. great, but rather like good vs. evil in this universe.
Beneath it, there were lists and lists of signatures of people who knew my dad.
Their signatures were an attestation that he was not only a good dad, but a good and righteous person.
I remember in the dream his presence was there with me as I looked at the ledger.
Then there was an astoundingly bright light that I was basking in.
Now I could feel I was in the presence of the Master of the Universe.
I looked up to the center and most intense part of the light, and lifted my arms upward in complete supplication to it...towards G-d.
And I felt myself crying out to G-d, and as I cried out louder and more intensely, I was transported back--whooshed through a tunnel at light speed...to awaken from this incredible dream.
Unlike most dreams, this one I remembered and it stuck with me even days later now.
My dad was truly a great father and a great man!
I am grateful to Hashem for letting me see him this week, and I miss him greatly. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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